Ali Wong

Ali Wong, born Alexandra Dawn Wong on April 19, 1982 in San Francisco, California, is an American comedian, actress, writer, and executive producer whose career has reshaped modern comedy. From her early days as the youngest of four children, she was shaped by a Vietnamese mother who immigrated from Huế and a Chinese‑American father who worked as an anesthesiologist, giving her a multicultural perspective that later informed her sharp, unapologetic humor. After graduating as class president from San Francisco University High School, she pursued Asian American studies at UCLA, spent a junior year in Hanoi, and continued her academic journey with a Fulbright program in Vietnam, experiences that enriched her cultural awareness. Wong began stand‑up at 23, quickly moving to New York City where she performed up to nine shows a night, catching the eye of Variety in 2011 as one of the “10 Comics to Watch.” Her breakthrough came with the Netflix special Baby Cobra (2016), filmed while she was seven months pregnant, establishing her as a fearless voice on topics ranging from motherhood to gender politics, and it was followed by the equally acclaimed Hard Knock Wife (2018) and Don Wong (2022). Beyond stand‑up, she co‑wrote and starred in Always Be My Maybe (2019), voiced characters in Tuca & Bertie and Big Mouth, and earned a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for her lead role and executive production on the Netflix series Beef (2023), making history as the first Asian‑background woman to win a lead acting Emmy.

Her personal narrative is as compelling as her professional one: she married entrepreneur Justin Hakuta in 2014, welcoming two daughters before separating in 2022 and finalizing their divorce in 2024. Briefly dating Bill Hader in 2022‑2024, she has been praised for her support during his post‑wildfire recovery. Recognized by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in both 2020 and 2023, Wong continues to break barriers, using her platforms to champion representation, humor, and authenticity.